ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Records: Individual Bowling Record for Most Career Wickets

The most significant competition in the sport has been the Cricket World Cup. Without one another, batsmen and bowlers are both lacking in the game. Similar to batsmen, bowlers have been an essential component of the game. Many bowlers have participated in and won the World Cup over the years. Let’s look at the bowlers who have taken the most World Cup wickets.

Glenn McGrath, a former Australian superstar, currently owns the World Cup record for most wickets taken (71). McGrath competed in three World Cups (1996-2007). He is most likely the greatest fast bowler ever to play the game. His bowling was strong because of his line, length, and swing. He was a player who had established himself regardless of the pitching circumstances. The Australian has also taken the most wickets for his nation in all formats (949).

Wickets	Player	Matches	Avg.	Econ	BBI	Span
71	Glenn McGrath	39	18.19	3.96	7/15	1996–2007
68	Muttiah Muralitharan	40	19.63	3.88	4/19	1996–2011
56	Lasith Malinga	29	22.87	5.51	6/38	2007–2019
55	Wasim Akram	38	23.83	4.04	5/28	1987–2003
49	Mitchell Starc	18	14.81	4.64	6/28	2015–2019
49	Chaminda Vaas	31	21.22	3.97	6/25	1996–2007

Glenn McGrath

McGrath amassed 71 wickets in 39 games between his tournament debut in 1996 and his last appearance in 2007 — three more than his closest competitor, Muttiah Muralitharan. McGrath amassed 71 wickets in 39 games between his tournament debut in 1996 and his last appearance in 2007 — three more than his closest competitor, Muttiah Muralitharan. Although McGrath was 37 and reaching the conclusion of his career, his most productive World Cup occurred in 2007. His 26 wickets broke Chaminda Vaas’ previous mark of 23, setting a new tournament record for the most wickets in a single World Cup edition.

Muttiah Muralitharan

Muthiah Muralidaran, a former spinner for Sri Lanka, has taken the most wickets in international cricket. With 1347 wickets taken in 495 games at an average of 22.86, Muralidharan retired as the all-time leading wicket-taker in international cricket. He made his international debut against Australia in a Test match in 1992. He collected 77 five-wicket hauls in his international career and 22 ten-wicket hauls. Muralidaran, regarded as one of the best bowlers to have ever played the game, amassed 800 Test wickets in 133 games at an average of 22.72, the most of any bowler in the game’s most extended format.

Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga, once one of the best bowlers in the history of limited overs cricket, had a reputation for dishing out in swinging yorkers that were as lethal as they were unusual. The body of Malinga’s threat was made up of that yorker, a deceptive slower ball, and a great bouncer, and the motion made it difficult to predict his deliveries. Malinga has got the third-most World Cup wickets of any bowler. In the annals of the World Cup, only Glenn McGrath (71) and Muttiah Muralitharan (68) have taken more wickets. Malinga got 12 or more wickets in his four World Cup appearances (2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019). No other bowler has taken ten or more wickets in more than three World Cup tournaments.